Baffle system for burn chamber of stove and method of installing and using same

ABSTRACT

There is provided a solid fuel stove having a burn chamber including at least one side wall and a firebox. The firebox is located a distance from the side wall. The firebox generates ash while burning solid fuel. At least one baffle contacts the firebox and the side wall. An amount of ash which escapes from the firebox is directed back to the firebox and the heat generated by the firebox will be readily concentrated because of the baffle.

RELATIONSHIP TO PRIOR APPLICATION

This is a U.S. non-provisional application relating to and claiming the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/906,665, filed Mar. 12, 2007.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to solid fuel stoves. More particularly it relates to solid fuel stoves having improved efficiency. Stoves have been provided which burn solid fuels, such as wood pellets and corn. Because of the high cost of conventional energy sources such as oil and natural gas, solid fuel stoves for space heating are gaining more and more acceptance. Because of solid fuel cost increases, it is desirable to make solid fuel stoves more efficient.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one form of this invention, there is provided a solid fuel stove having a burn chamber, including at least one side wall and a firebox. The firebox is located a distance from the side wall. The firebox generates ash while burning solid fuel. At least one baffle is provided. The baffle contacts the firebox and the side wall. Preferably, an amount of ash which escapes from the firebox will be directed back to the firebox and heat generated by the firebox will be more concentrated because of the baffle. Also preferably, a second baffle which is substantially symmetrical to the first baffle is also provided and is located in the burn chamber across from the first baffle.

In accordance with another form of this invention, there is provided a baffle for use in a burn chamber of a solid fuel stove which has a firebox in the burn chamber. An element formed from sheet metal is provided. The element includes a major portion and a wall engaging portion. A first bend forms a transition between the major portion and the wall engaging portion. The wall engaging portion is adapted to contact a wall in the burn chamber. The element further includes a firebox engaging portion. The firebox engaging portion is adapted to contact the firebox.

In accordance with yet another form of this invention, there is provided a baffle for use in a burn chamber of a solid fuel stove which has a firebox in the burn chamber. An element formed from sheet metal if provided having a major portion. One end of the major portion is adapted to be juxtaposed to a wall in the burn chamber. The element includes a firebox engaging portion adapted to contact the firebox. A bend is provided in the sheet metal and is located between the major portion and the firebox engaging portion.

In accordance with still another form of this invention, there is provided a method for burning solid fuel in a stove comprising: providing a solid fuel stove having a burn chamber and a firebox with the firebox located a distance from one of the walls of the burn chamber; providing at least one baffle; locating the baffle between one wall of the burn chamber and the firebox; burning solid fuel in the firebox, thereby generating ash; directing an amount of the ash back to the firebox and concentrating heat generated by the firebox. Preferably, heat from the firebox is directed towards a heat exchanger located above the firebox.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The subject matter which is regarded as the invention is set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, together with further objects and advantages thereof may be better understood in reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a stove;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the burn chamber of the stove shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the burn chamber shown in FIG. 2 with a firebox, an airwash panel, and a baffle system according to an embodiment of the invention installed therein;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the firebox shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the front baffle of the baffle system shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the left baffle of the baffle system shown in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 7 is another perspective view of the left baffle shown in FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A stove is shown broadly in FIG. 1 at reference numeral 10. The stove 10 is a solid fuel stove with structure and function known to those of ordinary skill in the art; the illustrated stove 10 is particularly designed to burn solid fuel, such as corn or wood pellets. The stove 10 includes a cabinet 11 having, among other structures, a front panel 12 that defines a burn chamber opening 13 and a vent 17. The burn chamber opening 13 provides access to a burn chamber 14 in the cabinet 11. A door 15 is hinged to the front panel 12 in order to enable covering and uncovering of the burn chamber opening 13, as desired for permitting or preventing access to the burn chamber 14. A window 20 is mounted in the door 15 to enable a user of the stove 10 to look into the burn chamber 14 during use of the stove 10. As shown in FIG. 2, the burn chamber 14 includes front, rear, left, and right walls 16, 21, 22, 23 and a floor 24. The burn chamber 14 is configured to receive a firebox 25, a baffle system 26, and an airwash panel 30, as shown in FIG. 3. Heat exchange apparatus, in the form of tubes that terminate at openings 27 defined by the rear wall 21 of the burn chamber 14, facilitate flow of heated air from the burn chamber 14 to the vent 17. Turning to FIG. 4, the firebox 25 includes a box portion 31 comprising front, rear, left, and right box panels 32, 33, 34, 35. The panels 32, 33, 34, 35 each comprise an upper edge 40, 41, 42, 43, respectively. A continuous lip 44 is unitary with the box portion 31 of the firebox 25 and extends from and along the upper edges 40, 42, 43 of the front, left, and right box panels 32, 34, 35. The firebox is located a distance from the walls 16, 22 and 24. The firebox generates heat and ash when the solid fuel is burned.

Looking at FIGS. 3, 5, and 6, the baffle system 26 includes a front baffle 45 and left and right opposing side baffles 50, 51. The baffles 45, 50, 51 of the illustrated embodiment are fabricated of sheet metal. As shown in FIG. 5, the front baffle 45 is unitary and includes a major portion 52 and a lip portion 53. A bend 54 in the front baffle 45 forms a transition between the major portion 52 and the lip portion 53. The left and right side baffles 50, 51 are substantially symmetrical to one another when installed in the burn chamber 14. Thus, FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate only one of the two side baffles 50, 51, namely the left side baffle 50, and the following details are accurate for both of the side baffles 50, 51. Each of the side baffles 50, 51 comprises a wall-engaging portion 55, a first bend 60, a major portion 61, a second bend 62, a minor portion 63, a third bend 64, a firebox engaging portion including an upper firebox-engaging portion 65 and a lower firebox-engaging portion 71, and a fourth bend 70. The major portion 61 is sloped so that ash may fall back into the firebox 25 and heat is concentrated and directed toward the heat exchange apparatus above the firebox. The major portion 52 of each side baffle 50, 51 is juxtaposed respectively to side walls 22 and 24 of burn chamber 14. The minor portion 63 of each of the side baffles 50, 51 is juxtaposed to firebox 25 and includes a proximal edge 72 and a distal edge 73. The entire proximal edge 72 of the minor portion 63 cooperates with the major portion 61 to form the second bend 62 of each of the side baffles 50, 51. However, the distal edge 73 of the minor portion 63 includes an exposed region 74 and a bend region 75, and only the bend region 75 of the distal edge 73 of the minor portion 63 cooperates with the upper firebox-engaging portion 65 to form the third bend 64 of each of the side baffles 50, 51. The exposed region 74 of the distal edge 73 of the minor portion 63 cooperates with a side edge 80 of each of the side baffles 50, 51 to define a notch 81 for accommodating the front baffle 45 when all the baffles 45, 50, 51 are installed in the burn chamber 14. The side edge 80 extends continuously along (1) an extension 82 formed by the distance between the exposed region 74 and the bend region 75 of the distal edge 73 of the minor portion 63, and (2) the upper firebox-engaging portion 65.

The airwash panel 30 (partially shown in FIG. 3) includes an upper lip 83 and side lips 84. The side lips 84 of the airwash panel 30 engage the front wall 16 of the burn chamber 14 when the airwash panel 30 is installed in the burn chamber 14.

The baffle system 26 is installed by providing the baffle system 26 described above, ensuring that the firebox 25 is in place within the burn chamber 14 of the stove 10, inserting the baffles 45, 50, 51 of the baffle system 26 into the burn chamber 14, positioning the front baffle 45 of the baffle system 26 such that the bend 54 in the front baffle 45 hooks over the upper lip 83 of the airwash panel 30 and the major portion 52 of the front baffle 44 engages the firebox 25, positioning the left side baffle 50 of the baffle system 26 such that (1) the fourth bend 70 in the left side baffle 50 engages the lip 44 of the firebox 25 along the portion of the lip 44 that extends from the upper edge 42 of the left box panel 34 of the firebox 25 and (2) the wall-engaging portion 55 of the left side baffle 50 engages the left wall 22 of the burn chamber 14, and positioning the right side baffle 51 of the baffle system 26 such that (1) the fourth bend 70 in the right side baffle 51 engages the lip 44 of the firebox 25 along the portion of the lip 44 that extends from the upper edge 43 of the right box panel 35 of the firebox 25 and (2) the wall-engaging portion 55 of the right side baffle 51 engages the right wall 23 of the burn chamber 14.

The baffle system 26 helps prevent fly ash from circulating or becoming trapped between the firebox 25 and the front, left, or right walls 16, 22, 23 of the burn chamber 14, and helps to direct the ash back into firebox 25, thereby enhancing the efficiency of the stove 10 by providing more oxygen and fuel to be burned in the firebox 25. Furthermore, the baffle system 26 helps direct and concentrate the heated air upwardly toward the heat exchange tube openings 27 in the rear wall 21 of the burn chamber 14, thereby further enhancing the efficiency of the stove 10 by ensuring that a greater portion of the heated air in the burn chamber 14 exits the stove 10 through the vent 17. In addition, the baffle system 26 effectively decreases the volume of the burn space in the burn chamber adding to the stove's efficiency. Also, the baffle system 26 enables the stove to burn hotter so that air intake can be reduced, thereby increasing the efficiency of the stove. Still further, the baffles 45, 50, 51 of the baffle system 26 may typically be installed and removed by hand, without tools, and therefore may be easily removed, cleaned, and replaced along with the firebox 25, as desired or needed.

A baffle system for a burn chamber of a stove and a method of installing same are described above. Various details of the invention may be changed without departing from its scope. Furthermore, the foregoing description of the invention and the best mode for practicing the invention are provided for the purpose of illustration only and not for the purpose of limitation, the invention being defined by the claims. 

1. A solid fuel stove comprising: a burn chamber; said burn chamber including at least a first side wall; a firebox; said firebox received in said burn chamber and located a distance from said first side wall; said firebox generating ash while burning solid fuel; and at least a first baffle; said first baffle contacting said firebox and said first side wall.
 2. A solid fuel stove as set forth in claim 1 wherein (a) an amount of ash which escapes from said firebox will be directed back to said firebox, and (b) heat generated by said firebox will be concentrated.
 3. A solid fuel stove as set forth in claim 2 wherein said first baffle has a wall engaging portion, a major portion and a minor portion; a first bend forming a transition between said wall engaging portion and said major portion; a second bend forming a transition between said major portion and said minor portion; said minor portion juxtaposed to said firebox.
 4. A solid fuel stove as set forth in claim 3 wherein said first baffle has a firebox engaging portion and a third bend; said third bend forming a transition between said minor potion and said firebox engaging portion.
 5. A solid fuel stove as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first baffle is removably received in said burn chamber.
 6. A solid fuel stove as set forth in claim 1 further including a second baffle; said burn chamber having a second wall; said second baffle contacting said second wall and said firebox.
 7. A solid fuel stove as set forth in claim 6 further including a third baffle; said third baffle contacting said firebox.
 8. A solid fuel stove as set forth in claim 7 wherein said third baffle contacts said first and second baffles.
 9. A solid fuel stove as set forth in claim 1 further including a heat exchange apparatus located above said firebox; said first baffle directing heat towards said heat exchange apparatus.
 10. A solid fuel stove as set forth in claim 6 wherein said first and second baffles are formed from sheet metal.
 11. A solid fuel stove as set forth in claim 10 wherein said first and second baffles are substantially symmetrical to one another.
 12. A solid fuel stove as set forth in claim 11 wherein said first baffle is located across from said second baffle.
 13. A baffle for use in a burn chamber of a solid fuel stove which has a firebox in a burn chamber comprising: an element formed from sheet metal; said element including a major portion and a wall engaging portion; a first bend forming a transition between said major portion and said wall engaging portion; said wall engaging portion adapted to contact a wall in the burn chamber; and said element further including a firebox engaging portion; said firebox engaging portion adapted to contact said firebox.
 14. A baffle as set forth in claim 13 further including a minor portion; a second bend; said second bend forming a transition between said major portion and said minor portion.
 15. A baffle as set forth in claim 14 further including a third bend; said third bend forming a transition between said minor portion and said firebox engaging portion.
 16. A baffle for use in a burn chamber of a solid fuel stove which has a firebox in the burn chamber comprising: an element formed from sheet metal; said element having a major portion; one end of said major portion adapted to be juxtaposed to a wall in the burn chamber; said element including a firebox engaging portion; said firebox engaging portion adapted to contact the firebox; and a bend in said sheet metal located between said major portion and said firebox engaging portion.
 17. A baffle as set forth in claim 16 further including a minor portion; said bend forming a transition between said major portion and said minor portion.
 18. A baffle as set forth in claim 17 further including an additional bend; said additional bend forming a transition between said minor portion and said firebox engaging portion.
 19. A baffle as set forth in claim 18 further including a wall engaging portion; a further additional bend; said further additional bend forming a transition between said wall engaging portion and said major portion.
 20. A method for burning solid fuel in a stove comprising: providing a solid fuel stove having a burn chamber and a firebox with the firebox located a distance from one of the walls of the burn chamber; providing at least one baffle; locating the baffle between the one wall of the burn chamber and the firebox; burning solid fuel in the firebox, thereby generating ash; and directing an amount of the ash back to the firebox and concentrating heat generated by the firebox.
 21. A method as set forth in claim 20 wherein said stove has a heat exchange apparatus located above the firebox; directing heat from the firebox toward the heat exchange apparatus.
 22. A method as set forth in claim 20 wherein said firebox is located a distance from a second side wall of the burn chamber; providing a second baffle; locating the second baffle between the second side wall and the firebox.
 23. A method as set forth in claim 22 wherein the firebox is located a distance from a third side wall of the burn chamber; providing a third baffle; locating the third baffle between the firebox and the third wall.
 24. A method as set forth in claim 23 wherein each of said first and second baffles have a notch; fitting portions of the third baffle within each notch of the first and second baffles. 